More cheap building ideas

[Big Steve]

I found really thick plastic at Joannes fabric for 2.99 a linear yard it is 60" wide. It comes on a roll so it does not have creases or bends. I bought 20 yards of peelply from a guy on the internet for 48.50 that included shipping it is good stuff I reccomend it. He sells regularly just go to Ebay and type in peelply. Another cheap trick I have used before with great success is to not clean the paint brushes when you are done with a lay-up throw the paintbrush in a baggy and put it in the freezer. I remember reading that in a CP. about 20 years ago. I finished glassing f-28 and f-22 today the instrument panel is next. STeve

[Jon Matcho]

Another cheap trick I have used before with great success is to not clean the paint brushes when you are done with a lay-up throw the paintbrush in a baggy and put it in the freezer. I remember reading that in a CP. about 20 years ago.

I wash them in acetone. They still get messed up near the root of the bristles, but I get a good 10 uses out of them. I have 2 cans of acetone, one clean, and one dirty. I'm going to take the dirty one to the recycling/hazmat center when full.

[Big Steve]

Have another cheaper than acs (Always comes slow) Instead of buying the longerons from spruce (always comes slow) I bought a #1 grade 2 x 8" X16' board from a local lumber yard It was Douglas fir and had just a couple of knots that were small and I could work around. It had a really tight ring count and pretty straight grain. I have a little planer so I ripped all the longerons over size and then planed them down to with in .005 inchs They look pretty good. Total cost $17.00 for the board and a couple of dollars for diesel for my truck. It would have cost me over $100.00 for acs to ship them. I traded a little weight for a big dollar saving and Douglas fir is stronger than Aircraft grade sitka spruce. STeve

[Kent Ashton]

Another cheap trick I have used before with great success is to not clean the paint brushes when you are done with a lay-up throw the paintbrush in a baggy and put it in the freezer.

Another cheap brush cleaning trick: Squeegee excess epoxy out of the brush, lay it down on a paper towel. Wet the brush/paper towel with MEK or acetone and roll the brush in the towel, wrap the brush/towel in a piece of plastic and weight it with a brick. Next day you'll have a virtually new brush and you only used a couple tablespoons of solvent.

[Big Steve]

I have a new cheap building idea. Instead of using masonite to build my fixture for my fuselage sides I used some sheet metal it was a scrap piece that was a cover sheet for sheet metal siding. I got it at the local siding place for only 5 dollars They sheared it to size width wise. It was plenty long so I did not have to splice in a longer piece. It was pretty easy to cut with some tin snips to size and formed a really nice side mold for my fuselage sides. That is my tip for the day. STeve

[Big Steve]

I have a new score to report: I bought a Varieze partial material order on ebay for $200 it cost me about $380 to ship it from Louisana to Idaho. I now have enough glass to finish my cozy and I will only need to buy 1 more big block of wing foam. I also have a varieze gear leg bow out of the deal I am selling that to offset my purchase It is to light obviously for the cozy. If I added all the stuff up I purchased I think it would cost me close to $2000 to buy the material and then I would have about the same in shipping. I guess the tip is ebay is not a bad place to shop. STeve

[Edge 513]

Though this really isn't a do it cuz its cheap idea. Its kinda fun and doesn't cost much to try out and see what you come up with. Heres some pics of some control sticks I am making.

The trick is to wrap a piece of wax paper around the 3/4" shaft and use VERY dry micro with all fast hardener. Then use a dremel with a little barrel sander to create a shape and 120 grit to smooth it out. Yea, it takes some time, but you end up with a grip that fits you custom wise and you can say "hey, I made dem dere stix"! To some this may seem kinda like a backwoods/shine brewin', 3 teeth missin' idea..since there are some nice sticks to buy off the shelf, but I've had some fun with it.

Hmmm. Does that say something about me? [cue the duelin banjos]

 

Additionally some ideas are.

1. You can create a stick-head shape that you can grip and hold onto that corresponds to the angle of your arm as you elbow is placed outward into the Cozygirrrls strakes during cruise.[if you are using them].

2. You can have the # and placement of the buttons you want.

3. You can custom paint them.

4. You could fab a replica Startrek phaser and use that as your stick..[just kidding..but you trekkie guys could=]

5. You can start the molding of the micro favoring the back of your hand to have a little more clearance between it and the wall, if you hand is BIG. I have an XL hand myself.

6. You can have your wife grip the stick for the co-pilot and make that "her stick" which is a pretty neat way to make your wife feel included. [points, bro's, points!]

7. I put the PTT kind of on the 11oclock position as a momentary switch with my forefinger comfortably resting above it in a channel, but left the copilot forefinger down in the standard position. For me, I have trim in the Pilots but am going with a center console trim location for the copilot. But thats the beauty of it, it takes about 100 grams of epoxy and a few SMALL cups of micro for a pair, so if you don't like your first go...or change your mind on a shape, do another pair, or rough up the surface, and add some micro[join it with a little wetter micro at the addition] to add a shape you want, or fill in.

8. Last pic is how you start, so don't freak about it being rough- this is about as close as you get to the shape. You fine tune from your basic hand shape/impression.

[Cozy1200]

Edge,

 

That may very well be the best custom grip I've seen built yet. Keep us up todate.

[Aiman]

Folks, try to stay away from MEK/P whenever possible. Check the MSDS on it. The stuff is a toxic waste dump in a metal can. Causes cancer QUICK.

[Cozy1200]

After all the warnings, I don't even have a can of it in the shop. I have access to it at work, but haven't needed to yet.

 

White Viniger does an absolutly amazing job cleaning up uncured epoxy. It's the only thing I use to clean up. I reuse brush 3-4 times and clean my squeegees & dritz with it. Plus it supper cheap.